Masaaki Kurahashi, MD, PhD, is a physician-scientist and gastroenterologist at the University of Iowa, where he leads the Neurogastroenterology and Motility Program. His career has spanned three complementary areas of gastroenterology: advanced endoscopy in Japan, basic electrophysiology and gastrointestinal smooth muscle research in Nevada, and clinical and translational neurogastroenterology and motility at the University of Iowa. He has extensive clinical expertise in esophageal, gastric, and anorectal motility disorders and in the interpretation of advanced gastrointestinal motility testing. His research focuses on the cellular mechanisms that regulate gastrointestinal smooth muscle function, particularly the role of PDGFRα+ interstitial cells in gastrointestinal motility. His research has received NIH R01 support and has investigated signaling pathways and mechanosensory mechanisms in these cells, with the goal of translating basic physiological discoveries into improved understanding, diagnosis, and treatment of gastrointestinal motility disorders.